One small step for Adric
by Yhoretta
Summary: A oneshot in which Adric is feeling neglected and the Doctor decides to put it right. WARNING: There will be spacesuits! Please favorite and review for more oneshots!


"Doctor, please can I have a turn flying the TARDIS? Nyssa had a go!" moaned Adric leaning against the TARDIS console. He brushed a strand of dark hair from his face and tried again.

"Doctor can I fly her or not?"

The Time Lord just barely turned his head to acknowledge the boy.

"Yes Adric, what is it?"

"Urgh, you never listen to me. How is it that you always make time for Tegan and Nyssa?"

"Because they never whine as much as you. Now be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate." The Doctor's eyes flickered back to the controls.

"You see, I'm trying to set course for the planet Phalos. It may not be E-Space Adric, but it's pretty lovely and... Adric?" He spun around. The boy had long since left.

"Oh where has he gone off to now?" sighed the Doctor, running into the corridor and calling after his companion.

"Whatever's the matter?" asked Nyssa. She kept time with the Doctor's brisk pace.

"Adric's run off."

"Probably sulking again," said Tegan, stepping out of her room.

The trio searched high and low, all throughout the TARDIS, searching for Adric.

"I think it's high time we get back to our business. He doesn't seem to be anywhere," sighed the Australian.

"Good Point Tegan. He'll turn up," replied Nyssa, following her to the kitchen.

"Yes, yes alright," muttered the Doctor. He ran his hands through his mop of blonde hair then swiveled on the spot and headed back to the console room. Suddenly his expert eyes caught something amiss.

"One of the spacesuits is missing!" he hissed. The Doctor walked over to the wall where spacesuits from every era and planet were casually hung up on hooks. Most were not operational.

"Stupid boy, he took one from the defect room!"

The Doctor hastily snatched one off and slipped into it. There was no time to waste, Wherever Adric was, he didn't have very long. The Time Lord soon found a thick yellow cord on the console room floor. Adric must have anchored himself to the controls after they left to find him. The strong cord lead out the open doors and into the dark expanse of space.

"He's lucky we have a bubble of air around the TARDIS or else it would have been very difficult indeed to slip out unnoticed," grumbled the Doctor. He jumped out into the universe, his only tether was a second yellow cord to keep him connected to the TARDIS.

"ADRIC!" growled the Doctor over the spacesuit intercom.

"What do you want?" sobbed a voice. The Doctor's anger instantly broke as he floated further out, breaking through the air bubble to where Adric was hanging forlornly.

"I...I'm sorry I haven't been paying much attention to you," said he Doctor. He reached out and patted Adric's arm which was concealed by an old Earth spacesuit.

"Nobody has Doctor. I'm the butt of everyone's jokes and I'm never given the time of day," sniffed the boy. He turned to face his friend.

"I just want someone to listen."

The Doctor smiled.

"Alright Adric. I'm here. I'm listening."

And he did. Everything the Alzarian had to say. His complaints, his griefs, his longing. But the Doctor knew that the defective spacesuits could not take much more of this.

"Thank you for coming to get me Doctor. You haven't interrupted me once and it means a lot. I like to be treated as an _equal_, not a child you know? I...Doctor? Doctor!"

Adric shook his friend roughly. The Time Lord's face was bright red, as if he'd been holding his breath almost the entire time the boy has spoken (which was quite a while).

"Come on, let's get back inside before mine fails too!" cried Adric.

They both slipped into the TARDIS with a sigh of relief. The Doctor threw off his helmet and took several big, refreshing gulps of air and smiled at Adric. The duo lay there, on the floor for a while, not wanting to move.

"Adric, Doctor. There you are!" said Nyssa. She bent down to hug the boy first then checked to see if The Doctor was alright. Tegan sauntered in afterwards and knelt down to meet Adric's eyes.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again. You had us worried half to death!" she scolded.

The Doctor smiled knowingly at Adric.

"There see! You are appreciated."

"Oh _alright_ Doctor!" chuckled the Alzarian. "You win. But next time you're not listening I'm going to bring this up."

"As am I Adric," replied the Doctor, grinning wildly. "As am I."

_**A/N: Thanks for reading! To see this story mirrored (almost) with a different companion, check out "A penny for your thoughts" on my profile. :)**_


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